Feed water economizer



s. L. KOTTES. 2,116,028

FEED WATER ECONOMI ZER Filed Dec. 5, 1936 Patented May 3, 1938 PATENT OFFICE FEED WATER ECONOMIZER George Leonidas Kottes, New Orleans, La.

Application December 5, 1936, SerialNo. 114,516

Claims.

The present invention relates to new anduse" ful improvements in boiler systems and more particularly to improvements in a feed water economizer for steam boilers.

An object of the present invention is to provide a feed water economizer which may be installed at any suitable location in a boiler system for effecting a preliminary heating of the water prior to the passage thereofinto the boiler. or) A further object of the invention is to provide a feed water economizer of the above type which is of simple construction so as to facilitate the assembling thereof, and which is highly efficient in effecting 'a'dsaving of heat. .15 The above and other objects of the invention will in part be. obvious and will be hereinafter more fully 'pointed out. In' the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary diagrammatic transverse section. through a boiler system showing one manner of applying the present invention thereto. I

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view, partly in section, showing the feed watereconomizer. IFig QB is an enlarged sectional view showing the connection between one end of the economizer tubes andone of the headers.

Fig; l'ie'asectional view taken along theline 44 of Fig. 3. e (30 v .The invention contemplates the increasing of the efficiency of steam boiler systems and consists generally in .the'fpr'ovision of a feed water economizer which may be conveniently installed at a suitable location in the boiler system for 5 heating the entering cold water prior to the passage thereof into the boiler. In the illustrated embodiment of. the .invention, the, feed Water economizer includes a. pluralityof groups of tubes which are connected to members which consti- 4o tute separated inlet and outlet structures. .These 'lmembers substantially constitute headers and are mounted on the sides of the boiler casing and the tubesjextend across the casing so as to be heated by the hot gasesiemanating from the 45 furnace. One of the headers is connected to the cold water supply and another of the headers is connected to the steam or water drum, so that the entering cold water passes through the tubes back and forth across the casing and then into .50 the drum through the header which is connected therewith. Thus, the feed water is given a preliminary heating; during the passage thereof through the economizer, before the passage thereof into the drum; .The efiiciency. of the .55 gboiler system is thus greatly increased.

Referring more in detail to the accompanying drawing, and particularly to Fig. l, the furnace stoker mechanism (not shown) below the combustion chamber l0 may be of any well known construction. A baffie wall llextends partially ,5 across the combustion chamber Ill so as to direct the hot gases towards the elevated ends of the inclined bank of water tubes l2 which are connected to an uptake header !3. The lower ends of the tubes l2 are connected to a downtake header l4, which communicates with a transversely arranged steam or water drum l5 through conduits 16. The uptake header I3 communicates with the drum i5 through substantially horizontal conduits ll. Transverse baflies I8 are arranged between the tubes l2 for directing the hot gases in contact therewith, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1. The furnace roof or arch (not shown) prevents the escape of the gases before reaching the outlet flue. Thefeed Water economizer includes a plurality of transverse groups of tubes through which the entering water passes before reaching the conduit 1 9 communicating with the drum I5. As shown in Fig.

l, the feed water economizerE is disposed in the space between the water tubes i2, and the conduits l6 and I1 which. connect the drum l5 with the downtake and uptake headers l4, l3 respectively. The economizer is supported on the side walls of the boiler casing so that the hot gases will come in contact with the transverse tubes thereof to heat the water before it enters the drum [5.

Referring now to Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the details of the feed water economizer will be described. A

plurality of tubes 20, 20a. are, as shown in Fig. 1, arranged in groups of four, but the number of tubes may be varied according to the size of boiler system with which the economizer is to be used. Mounted on opposite sides S of the boiler 40 casing are header plates 2|, 2m, which are provided with openings through which the ends of the tubes 2|], 20a, extend. The inlet ends of the tubes 20, 200. are expanded in the openings through the header. plates. An L-shaped pipe section 22 is secured to the header plate 2! and is effective as a header for communication with the inlet ends. of the tubes 26. The pipe 22 is connected to the supply line 23 for the entering cold water. Between the pipe section 22 and the supply line are connected a valve 24 and a hypass line or conduit 25 which is provided with a control valve 26. A drain pipe may be connected to the L-shaped pipe section 22 through an opening 22a. .55

The header plates 2|, 2hr are identical, so that a description of one will suflice. The header plate 2|, at the outlet end of the tubes 20a, is provided with crossed vertical ribs 21 which carry a flange 28 spaced from the header plate itself. The portions of the plates 2|, 2la which are opposite the flanges 28, 28a, respectively, constitute the outlet portions of the header members. The portions of the plates 2|, 2 Id at one side of the flanges 28, 28a, respectively, constitute the inlet structures of the header members. An integral boss 29 is provided in each of the spaces between adjacent ribs or webs 21; these bosses having apertures for receiving the ends of corresponding tubes 20a. These apertures, further, have enlargements, with threaded walls, to provide a stufling box for the outlet end of each of the tubes 20a. A packing member 30 is disposed in each st'uifing box around the tube which extends therethrough. A packing nut 3| threadedly engages the inner surface of each stufiing box for compressing the packing member 30, thus providing a tight seal around the corresponding tube.

A return bend or substantially U-shaped pipe section 32 has one end thereof secured to the flange 28a on the header plate 2 la, and the other end thereof is secured to the header plate 2la over the inlet ends of the tubes 20a. A safety valve may be inserted in the return bend 32 at the opening 32a.

An L-shaped pipe section 33 is secured to the flange 28 on the header plate 2| and is effective as a header and communicates with the conduit l9 leading to the drum l5. Between the conduit l9 and the pipe section 33 are connected a valve 34 and the end of the bypass line 25. The L- shaped pipe section 33 may be provided with a thermometer which can be inserted through the opening 33a.

In the illustrated form, the assembly is mounted so that the tubes 20, 20a extend across the boiler space, with the header plates 2 I, 2 la against the side walls of the casing, these side walls being indicated by the dash-and-dot lines S in Fig. 2.

In operation, when the valve 26 is closed and the valves 24 and 34 are opened, cold water enters the line 23 and passes through the pipe section 22 into the tubes 20. The water is heated by the furnace gases in passing through the tubes 20 which extend across the boiler space between the sides S of the casing, and then passes through the return bend 32, which operates as a header, and into the tubes 20a where it is further heated in again passing across the casing. From the out let ends of the tubes 20a, the heated water passes through the pipe section 33 into the conduit l9 and thence into the drum l5. The drum I is provided with a steam outlet 35 through which the steam may pass to any desired point. Thus, the feed water, which has been heated by the economizer, passes into the drum l5 and then through the conduits 16 into the downtake header l4. The water is then further heated as usual and the steam generated passes from the uptake header l3 through the conduits I! and back into the drum I5 from which it is drawn off.

When it is desired to inspect, remove or repair the economizer, or to pass the entering cold water directly into the drum I5 without passing through the economizer, the valves 24 and 34 may be closed and the valve 26 opened, so that the entering water is bypassed directly to the drum l5 through the conduit 25.

Thus, it will be seen that the structure provides a simply erected and. repaired arrangement with a minimum number of specially constructed parts; which is strong and resistant to mechanical damage. The provision of the packings at one end of each of the tubes, permits the necessary expansion and contraction in length of the tubes without placing physical strain upon the parts: while packing glands are provided at such points that they are easily accessible externally for adjustment as required.

I claim:

1. A feed water economizer for boilers, comprising two header members each including an inlet and an outlet structure, the inlet and outlet structures of each member being rigidly spaced from the inlet and outlet structures of the other member and including a plate having a flange fixed in spaced relationship thereto, a water supply connection to the inlet structure of one member, a water discharge connection to the outlet structure of the same member, a return bend connection joining the inlet and outlet structures of the other member, and tubes passing through apertures in said plates and said flanges for joining the inlet structure of each member with the outlet structure of the other member, and the inlet and outlet structures providing packing means for the tubes positioned between said plates and said flanges.

2. A feed water economizer for boilers, comprising two header members each including an inlet and an outlet structure, the inlet and outlet structures of each member being rigidly spaced from the inlet and outlet structures of the other member and including a plate having a flange fixed in spaced relation thereto and integral bosses on said flanges, a Water supply connection to the inlet structure of one member, a water discharge connection to the outlet structure of the same member, a return bend connection joining the inlet and outlet structures of the other member, and tubes passing through apertures in said plates and said flanges and through said bosses for joining the inlet structure of each member with the outlet structure of the other member, and the inlet and outlet structures providing packing means associated with said bosses for providing a liquid-tight joint around the tubes.

3. A feed water economizer for boilers, comprising a plurality of members spaced apart and each including a plate and a flange integral with the plate and spaced therefrom, said members providing inlet and outlet structures, a water supply connection to the inlet structure of one of said members, a water discharge connection leading from an outlet structure to the boiler, and conduit means for affording communication between the water supply connection and the water discharge connection, said conduit means including tubes extending through apertures in said plates and said flanges for joining the inlet and outlet structures of a pair of said members.

4. A feed water economizer for boilers, comprising a plurality of members each providing an inlet and an outlet structure and. including a plate having a web secured thereto and a flange spaced from said plate and secured to said web, a Water supply connection to the inlet structure of one of said members, a water discharge connection leading from an outlet structure to the boiler, a plurality of passes of tubes joining the inlet and outlet structures of a pair of members, said tubes extending through apertures in said plates and said flanges and between the ribs of said Webs, and conduit means affording communication between said passes of tubes.

5. A feed Water economizer for boilers, comprising a plurality of members each providing an inlet and an outlet structure and including a plate having a Web secured thereto and a flange spaced from said plate and secured to said web, bosses secured between said flanges and said plates and disposed within the ribs of said web,

li) a water supply connection to the inlet structure of one of said members, a water discharge connection leading from an outlet structure to the boiler, a plurality of passes of tubes joining the inlet and outlet structures of a pair of members, said tubes extending through apertures in said plates and said flanges and through said bosses, and conduit means affording communication between said passes of tubes.

Patent No. 2,116,028 Granted May 3, 1938 GEORGE LEONIDAS KOTTES The above entitled patent was extended February 26, 1952, under the provisions of the act of June 30, 1950, for 7 years and 173 days from the expiration of the original term thereof.

Commissioner of Patents. 

